Balloon-window.



J. R. GAMMETER.

BALLOON WINDOW.

APPLICATION FILED mas, I9IB.

Patented Oct. 15, 1918- m M W w L 2'2 Ja/zniB. @ammcter .4 TTORNE I" ill %TAT% PATEN OFFIOE.

JOHN R. GAMMETER, OF AKRON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE B. F. GOODRICH COMPANY,

on NEW YORK, n. Y.,

A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

BALLOON-WINDOW.

specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 15, 1918.

Application filed February 8, 1918. Serial No. 215,964.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jorrn R. GAMMETER, acitizen of the United States, residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Balloon-Windows, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to windows or transparent covered sight openings, and more particularly to a window for inspecting the interior of a balloon from the outside to determine, for example, the condition of a ballonnet Within the main envelop.

My object is to mount the transparent member in such manner that it shall be substantially gas-tight, easily renewed if broken, and flexibly connected with the envelop. A further object is to aid the observers vision by the provision of an improved light-excluding hood.

Of the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of the rear portion of a balloon of the captive or observation type, provided with my improvement.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation on a largerscale showing one of the windows and contiguous 7 wall of the envelop.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on of Fig. 2. In Fig.

the line 3-3 1 of the drawings, 10 is the balloon envelop adapted to have its main body filled with a buoyant gas, and 11 is the arched fabric wall of a ballonnet within the rear portion of the envelop, adapted to contain air.

For observing the condition of the ballonnet, I show two windows 12, 12 in the wall of the main envelop, one located above and the other'below the ballonnet wall 11, the envelop being apertured at these points. The details of these windows are represented in Figs. 2 and 3. 13 is a circular transparent pane, preferably, comprising a laminated structure 0 glass plates cemented to an interposed celluloid or other nonvitreous plate in a well-known manner, said pane being located in the aperture of the envelop. '14 is a fabric disk having a central aperture registering with that in the envelop, its edges being'cemented to the envelop 10 on the inner'surface of the latter. Between said fabric disk and the envelop sides of the wearers bination, with the is cemented the broad outer margin of a disk 15 composed of vulcanized soft rubber which ispreferably reinforced with fabric 16. The inner margin of this disk constitutes an annular frame 17 molded with a groove to receive the edges of the pane 13. On opposite faces of the rubber frame are located metal reinforcing rings 18, 19 having rounded edges turned over the edges of the frame, these rings overlapping the pane.' 20, 20 are screws traversing said frame and rings for tying the latter together and compressing the rubber frame upon the margins of the transparent pane. Thus thelatter is flexibly mounted in the envelop, securely packed against leakage, and readily renewable in case it should break.

On the outer side of the envelop is cemented an elongated fabric disk or strip 21 apertured for the window and having buttons 22 sewed near its ends, and over this is mounted a similarly apertured fabric disk or strip 23 whose middle portion is secured to the soft-rubber frame by the metal ring 19, and whose end portions constitute loose flaps formed with button-holes 2 1 to receive the buttons 22, whereby these flaps are normally held flat against the balloon. When desired, these flaps may be unbuttoned and used as a light-excluding hood against the face to aid his vision when inspecting the interior of the balloon through the Window.

The details of embodiment may be varied without departing from my invention.

I claim:

1. In a balloon-window structure, the comballoon envelop having an aperture, of a correspondingly-apertured fabric disk adhesively connected therewith by its outer margin, a transparent pane in the apertures, and a soft-rubber disk having 9 its inner margin formed as a frame for said pane and its outer margin adhesively mounted between the envelop and fabric disk.

2. In a balloon-window structure, the combination, with the balloon envelop having an aperture, of a transparent pane in said aperture, a flexible rubber disk reinforced with fabric, said disk having a grooved inner margin formed as a frame for said pane and an outer margin connected with the envelop, annular metal rings on opposite faces of the frame, and means for tying velop having an inspection 'window, a pair said rings together and compressing the of flexible flaps secured to the envelop and frame upon the margins of the pane. located on opposite sides of said Window L 3. The combination with a balloonenfor forming a light-excluding hood for the 1 5 velop having an aperture, of a transparent observers face, and means for detachably pane in said aperture, a flexible light-exsecuring the free portions of-said flaps flat eluding hood on the outer side of the enagainst the envelop. velop adjacent to said aperture, and means In testimony whereof I have hereunto set I for securing said hood inoperatively against my hand this 4 day of February 1918. 10 the balloon WalL- f V 4. The combination with a balloon en-' JOHN R. GAMMETER. 

